Alliant subsidiary plans wind development in Iowa
From a press release issued by Alliant Energy:
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – February 6, 2008 – Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL), a subsidiary of Alliant Energy Corporation (NYSE: LNT) announced today that the company has acquired a 300 megawatt wind power farm located in north central Iowa, near Hampton, Iowa from Iowa Winds, LLC. The wind farm is adjacent to a 200 megawatt wind power farm IPL acquired from Wind Capital Group, LLC in November 2007.
The ‘Whispering Willow Wind Farm’, which consists of the two recent site acquisitions, has the potential to produce up to 500 megawatts of emissions-free energy if completely developed. IPL currently anticipates developing 200 megawatts of wind power on the site beginning in 2009. IPL expects the first 200 megawatts to be commercially operable in 2010. IPL will still have the ability to develop up to an additional 300 megawatts of potential wind power on the site. A decision regarding the development of the wind farm’s additional 300 megawatts has not yet been made.
“We are preparing for our customers’ and Iowa’s energy future,” says Kim Zuhlke, vice president of new energy resources for Alliant Energy. “The Whispering Willow Wind Farm aligns squarely with Governor Culver’s vision that 25 percent of all the energy produced in Iowa comes from renewable sources by 2025. While the Whispering Willow Wind Farm is a great start, we are committed to maximizing Iowa’s wind energy potential. We will continue to seek environmentally friendly alternative sources of energy to complement our baseload generation initiatives.”
